


Welcome Home

by CloverHouraisan



Category: Persona 5, Persona Series
Genre: Boys' Love, Christmas Party, Eventual Sex, Fluff, Hot Springs & Onsen, Long-Distance Relationship, M/M, Multi, Phone Sex, Polyamory, Polyfidelity, Post-True Ending, Reunion Sex, Reunions, Sauna, Secret Santa, Spoilers, Travel, True Ending Spoilers, Yaoi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-08-28
Updated: 2018-06-10
Packaged: 2018-12-15 05:26:22
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 14,058
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11799357
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CloverHouraisan/pseuds/CloverHouraisan
Summary: After saving the world and clearing his name, Akira left Tokyo to return to his old lifestyle.  Along with the Phantom Thieves, he also left behind his two lovers, Ryuji and Yusuke.  Of all those affected by Akira's absence, those two felt it the strongest.  A few years after the dust settled, Haru organizes a Christmas party and Secret Santa event for the Phantom Thieves to commemorate their accomplishments from years past.  The boys see this time as not only a stroke of luck, but also a valuable opportunity to make up for lost time.





	1. Returning to Tokyo

**Author's Note:**

> This is going to be the last fanfiction I will post to my writing blog before it becomes mostly headcanons and imagine-type posts. After this fic finishes getting posted on Tumblr, no more new fanfictions will be natively posted there. They will be posted here and linked on Tumblr from that point forth. Thanks for continuing to support me through this move!
> 
> Also, this is a warning that there are MAJOR spoilers for the events of the true end of Persona 5. If you would not like to be spoiled, turn back now and get yourself caught up before proceeding. Please don't say I didn't warn you, because I am warning you right now. Turn back if you don't want to have major endgame events spoiled. Thanks.

The train was packed full, like usual.  People were squished together like sardines, and even the seats intended for pregnant women and handicapped people were taken by those who were perfectly able to stand on their own.  Yusuke was wedged in between a fat businessman snoring away for the past five stops and a hypersensitive woman who chastised him every time he accidentally bumped into her.  She also looked to be 80, so Yusuke felt more sorry for her having to be in a situation like this than anything.  He had a small duffel bag wedged in between his legs.  It was initially in the seat next to him, but he had moved it out of respect for the woman next to him.  Normally, Yusuke would be homeward bound at this time, but the past few months had brought on special circumstances.  He was going to visit his boyfriend from Shujin Academy, Ryuji Sakamoto.  They had been brought together initially as partners in crime, but they eventually graduated into a love triangle with their currently absent leader, Akira Kurusu.  Ever since they felled Yaldabaoth and freed humanity from impending disaster at the hands of a heartless, controlling god, the nation's image of the Phantom Thieves flipped around completely.  From what Yusuke could tell from visiting Shujin, most of the students talked about the Phantom Thieves like they were the next Power Rangers.  Multitudes of fansites and blogs opened after Mishima's own page rocketed into the stratosphere and became an officially authorized source of knowledge about the group and its members.  The community was thriving like a near-utopian metropolis, only suffering from the occasional troll or misanthrope throwing a wrench into what were usually robust online discussions.  Similar to the people outside of the circle, good things came to those within the Phantom Thieves' circle as well.  Futaba was now an up-and-coming Youtube gamer and Twitch streamer with a fruitful side job in programming and beta testing software along with her favorite pastimes of hacking and scrolling through 4chan.  After months of intensive therapy, Futaba finally worked up the courage to enroll in Shujin Academy, kicking her agoraphobia onset from the psychological trauma of being blamed for her mother's death to the curb.  Makoto was paving her own path towards law school, studying to become a defense lawyer.  Haru's family business had picked up the pieces left from her father's destructive ways, bringing her to the top of the corporate ladder and fundamentally changing the way Okumura Foods presented itself to the world.  Ann became a regular jetsetter, flying from Paris to Rome to New York City as a high-flying fashion designer and writer, taking after her role models of Coco Chanel and Diana Vreeland.  However, Akira, Ryuji, and Yusuke found themselves with the greatest happiness of all.  First, Akira was finally cleared of the crime that sent him into Tokyo and Shujin in the first place.  Unburdened by the demons of the past, he was able to throw everything he had into finishing up his time at Shujin.  Next, Ryuji got his act together, made a complete recovery from his injury, and picked his dreams of being a track star back up after Shujin and Kamoshida nearly destroyed them.  As it turned out, not being able to use Shujin's space and equipment was more of a blessing than a curse, since Kousei High School's small track team was willing to let him practice with them, even as an outsider.  Finally, Yusuke's art career was set to soar after some staff members of Kyoto Seika University attended one of his latest exhibitions and offered praise for what he had to offer.  Additionally, they informed him of internship and scholarship opportunities to help pay his way through university, should he choose to attend.  Not only had all three of them started to see their individual dreams coming into fruition, but they also found themselves in a loving, healthy relationship.  

The idea was first proposed by Akira after he and Ryuji had been dating for several months.  When he first met the two of them, Yusuke saw no need to meddle with what they had going on.  After all, he wasn't there to make friends.  He needed a model for his newest work and saw potential in their friend Ann.  But as he joined up with them and helped them change the hearts of Madarame, Kaneshiro, Futaba, Haru's father, and eventually Shido, Yusuke took a liking to Ryuji.  He envied the freedom that Ryuji conducted his life with, especially desiring the courage he had to pave that path for himself.  Instead of letting that envy control and corrupt him, he used Ryuji as a goal to aspire to, getting closer with him to get into his head and learn what made him tic.  However, even in blocking out that destructive envy, lust flowed in to take its place.  As he got closer to Ryuji, Yusuke found himself wanting to spend more and more time with him.  As the months went by, that desire for Ryuji's time slowly turned into a desire for his heart, which culminated in a desire for his body.  Eventually, Yusuke started making subtle advances on him, starting with stony-faced compliments and eventually graduating to prolonged physical contact.  Makoto was the first to point out that he was acting on his lust for Ryuji negatively, comparing his actions to Kamoshida's sexual advances on Shiho.  Even his friends at Kousei started expressing concern about his behavior, had he let it go on unchecked.  Thankfully, Ryuji's dense skull and Akira's supreme diplomacy prevented the blonde boy from ever catching onto the truth, which saved Yusuke's ass and threw him from the frying pan into the fire all at once.  Though he had considerably improved his image within the Thieves themselves by recognizing what Makoto said as truth and acting on her suggestions for how to manage his lust, the acknowledgement of that truth made it impossible for him to be candid with Ryuji.  That was, until Akira stepped in.  He had taken notice of Yusuke's infatuation with Ryuji early on and offered him a deal.  He could freely act on those feelings if and only if he would join the relationship as not a third wheel, but a legitimate member and extend his attention to Akira himself along with Ryuji.  Though talks of opening the relationship to him had halted with the Christmas Eve investigation and the struggle to take down the Holy Grail, the idea remained on Akira's mind.  After Shido's proceedings had been seen through, Akira revealed to the other Thieves that on Valentine's Day, he was going to surprise Ryuji by getting him a new boyfriend.  Though some of them were skeptical of his logic at first, they all eventually came to support his decision.  After they returned home from a trip to the coast during their winter holiday, Akira brought Ryuji on a long date that ended at LeBlanc, where he had Yusuke come down from the attic as a surprise.  In that moment, both Yusuke and Akira were mentally preparing for Ryuji to sock both of them in the jaw and run off, never to speak to them again.  However, they were both surprised when Ryuji was utterly ecstatic at the reveal, giving Yusuke a bone-crushing hug.  It would go down as a night they would never forget and a moment that proved their relationship's staying ability.  …Or so the others thought.

Akira's new-found freedom, along with granting him the freedom of expressing his love for Ryuji and Yusuke as candidly as he wanted, eventually inspired his decision to leave Tokyo and return home to offer his parents closure on what had happened to him.  At first, Ryuji and Yusuke opposed the idea, but they eventually allowed him to act as he desired.  He was the leader of the Phantom Thieves, after all, and he had a knack for knowing what was for the best.  While the separation from Akira and Morgana was fairly quick since Akira's parents were outside, anticipating his arrival, the loneliness that set in from that brief moment of farewell never truly left.  Every time Ann and Ryuji argued, someone else had to awkwardly break them up without Akira to give a cold stare to both of them.  Futaba had to target her dry humor at other Thieves now that her typical straight man was gone.  However, between all of the Thieves, Yusuke and Ryuji were the most profoundly affected.  Ryuji fell into a depression days after they dropped Akira off.  He started skipping classes and almost got himself expelled had it not been for Yusuke stepping in and forcing Ryuji to work hard again for Akira's sake.  Especially troubling was the fact that the group had all physically separated to follow their dreams.  While Futaba was still in Tokyo to finish high school, she was still caught up with her work as an internet personality.  Haru was hard at work as assistant CEO of her father's company.  Everyone else had gone abroad, whether to attend a fashion show in Ann's case or to go to Harvard Law School in Makoto's case.  Ryuji and Yusuke had stayed relatively close, with Yusuke at Kyoto Seika University and Ryuji a few subway stops away at Kyoto University.  Even so, the physical separation of their main group made the emotional separation from Akira all the more unbearable for Ryuji and Yusuke.  However, much like in battle, when one of them faltered, the other had to be stronger to support him.  Ryuji was in a time of need, and naturally, Yusuke had to step up to make sure he was still taking care of himself and getting all of his work done.  They'd had some bumps in maintaining their emotional connection considering Ryuji's longer history with Akira, but the two of them were able to maintain peace at home and into the foreseeable future until Akira decided he wanted to come back or break up with them after the long distance tore them apart.

Today had been like any other day for Yusuke.  After his classes at Kyoto Seika, he went into the city to crash at Ryuji's apartment and try to fill the void in their hearts as much as he could.  Usually, they'd usually play half-baked video games, since Ryuji's money situation wouldn't allow him to buy many of the bigger titles.  However, Yusuke wanted to do something different today since it was the first day of their winter holidays that coincided.  Instead of staying at home and staring at a TV for most of the day, he had planned a short excursion to a Tokyo hot spring behind Ryuji's back.  Thanks to the money Yusuke had made from taking commissions, he was able to pay for it himself.  He had been planning on asking Ryuji if he wanted to go back to Tokyo for the break anyway, but the hot spring trip formalized these plans.  When the train stopped at Shijo station, Yusuke got up, finally able to leave his uncomfortable spot.  Once he made his way to the street level, he texted Ryuji.

_"I just got off the train.  I'm coming over in a bit.  Want me to bring food?"_

A few short seconds after Yusuke's message was delivered, Ryuji sent a reply.

_"Sure!  They just let me outta my last final, and I'm starving, dammit!"_

And then another text came immediately after that.

_"Wanna play Mario Kart again or do something else today?"_

Yusuke couldn't help but laugh at the suggestion of Mario Kart.  Neither of them were that good at the game, and it was only because Futaba came over and showed them how to unlock the other characters that they were able to do it themselves.  Nonetheless, it was a fun experience, with Ryuji constantly trying to make good use of Bowser when he was clearly inept with heavy characters and Yusuke always managing to get ahead of him only to be pushed off of the course by Ryuji or some other heavy character behind both of them.  As fun as the collective race for second-to-last was, Yusuke had to stick to his plan.

_"I've got something else in mind since it's the first day that our winter breaks overlap.  What do you want me to get?"_

There was a slight pause before Ryuji started typing again on the other end.  His next message followed shortly.

_"Could you get some more ramen?  I haven't had much time to go out lately because of track practice."_

Yusuke smiled.  He was so happy that Ryuji hadn't given up on his dream.  Though there had been rough patches with the rehab process, it was at Akira's insistence that he obey the doctor's orders without question.  Now that he was fully recovered and given the green light to start running again, Ryuji had become much happier and more easygoing.  However, his tastes in food never changed.  Though he had been forced to eat packaged ramen instead of fresh ramen like he did at Shujin, he seemed to be getting along quite well on his own.  Making note of Ryuji's request for more ramen, Yusuke stopped off at a Circle K near Ryuji's apartment to grab several packages.  After he paid for the food, he reached his destination in a few more blocks.  He made a beeline for the elevator, catching an open one right before it closed and pressed the button for the 5th floor.  Once he arrived at the floor he chose, Yusuke walked to room 507 and knocked.  After waiting for a few minutes with no response, Yusuke knocked again.  This was unusual for Ryuji.  He was usually at the door to immediately answer when Yusuke made the trek from Kyoto Seika to Kyoto University.  After about six minutes more, Ryuji's footsteps could be heard rushing to the door, followed by a huge thump.  Yusuke snickered.  He likely just came out of the shower and slipped on his own drippings.  A few steps later, the door opened.  Ryuji was clad in only a towel that was slipping down his waist by the second.

"Yusuke!  What's up, dude?" Ryuji's face lit up.  Yusuke wasn't sure whether it was him or the ramen that Ryuji was excited for.  Nevertheless, he gave his boyfriend a knowing glance.

"What?  Is there something on my face?" Ryuji frowned.  "And why'd you bring a duffel bag?  Do you wanna stay the night?"

"I'd hug you, but you'd soak my nice clothes." Yusuke deadpanned.  Ryuji simply chuckled, taking the bag of ramen from Yusuke before kissing him on the cheek.  "And about the bag…  I'll tell you later."

"Well, come in already!  I'm practically dripping with excitement!" Ryuji went back inside, the towel slipping all the way off.  Yusuke's face flushed.  Even though he'd known Ryuji since high school, it still confounded him how he could walk around the house and answer the door completely nude.  Then again, it wasn't like Ryuji had anything to hide.  He had a pretty great body, and it only got better with age.  His muscles had filled out a little more since high school now that he was regularly active again.  Not only that, but he looked as if he was glowing from within.  Though he wasn't like a bodybuilder with pecs the size of his head, he was quite the looker and much more confident with his body after he started taking better care of himself.  And of all people to know that, Yusuke knew it best.  He had Ryuji model for him multiple times in varying states of undress over the period of a few years.  Back then, the farthest Ryuji was willing to go was to wear skimpy underwear, but since the end of third year and the beginning of his fitness journey, he'd grown more willing to be painted nude.  At first, he only did artistic and elegant poses, but as he kept modeling, he grew more adventurous to the point where every other pose had his dick out.  Maybe it was thanks to Yusuke that Ryuji became a nudist in his own home (though he did argue that Akira had a hand in it as well because he helped Ryuji with his mental health).  Regardless of how frequently he saw the blonde boy without clothes, Yusuke never seemed to get over just how hot he was.  Before Ryuji could joke about him staring again, Yusuke shut the door behind him and removed his shoes.  He sat on the couch as Ryuji dried and coiffed his hair.  Once the hair dryer noise died down, Ryuji came back out of the bathroom, still as nude as he had been before, and sat down next to him.

"How was school?" he asked, his arm wrapping behind Yusuke's back and pulling him closer.

"I didn't have school.  We finished our exams a few days before yours began, remember?" Yusuke leaned into Ryuji a little more.  "How were your exams?  Did you study like everyone urged you to?"

Ryuji paused.

"Define ‘study'." He gave a sheepish grin.  Yusuke facepalmed.

"You winged it again, didn't you?" Yusuke sighed.

"Hey, I wasn't winging it!  I had track practice!  There was a big meet with Tokyo University two days ago!  You know that, because you were there!" Ryuji feigned annoyance.  Yusuke laughed.  He loved pushing Ryuji's buttons like that.

"I was, and you did well.  You were very brave to do the long jump in Matsuda's absence even though you'd never done it before."

"We were all shocked when he called in sick.  He's normally the first one to arrive and the last one to leave.  Track and field are his life.  His body probably caught up to him and made him pay."

"Anyway, you did study after that, didn't you?" Yusuke rested his head on Ryuji's shoulder.  "But what you meant by that comment from earlier was that you rushed it again, no?"

"Well…" Ryuji started, but he realized that he'd painted himself into a corner.  He threw his hands up dismissively.  "Hey, you know they took me for track, not my smarts."

"You are a brilliant young man.  I'm sure that admissions officials at Kyoto University saw more in you than just your athleticism and dedication to your sport.  Why do you keep selling yourself short like that?" Yusuke asked.

"You sound just like my mom, man." Ryuji laughed.  Yusuke's cheeks puffed in slight annoyance, but he laughed along with him.  "Anyway, you said you had a plan for today now that we're both out of school for the winter.  Let me in on it, dude!"

"Well…  I wanted to go to Tokyo to check up on Futaba, Haru, and Sojiro.  I was going to go alone, but I wanted to know if you wanted to go with me." Yusuke turned to face Ryuji more directly.  "I have my clothes in this bag, in case you were wondering from before."

"Tokyo?  I'd love to, man!  I haven't seen those guys in ages!" Ryuji's eyes sparkled.  "But where are we staying?  I've never met your parents as your boyfriend, and my mom doesn't have enough room with the guest room being rented out to local Tokyo University students and whatnot."

"Well…  I saved up some money from taking commissions and booked us a week at a hot spring inn." Yusuke said calmly.  Ryuji's jaw hit the floor.  The last time he went to a hot spring was when it was the entire group of Phantom Thieves, and they all paid their share of the costs separately.   _This_  wasn't okay.  Ryuji couldn't see how any one person would pay for two out of his own pocket.  It didn't feel right or fair.  When Yusuke looked over at Ryuji's worried expression, he simply chuckled.

"You do remember how much I charge, don't you?  I also work in both traditional and digital media, so I will always have a robust commission schedule.  Don't worry yourself over this.  We'll figure out what to do once the week is up later.  For now, just be glad that we're off for the holiday season and take some much needed rest." Yusuke traced a finger across Ryuji's jawline.  "After all, you can't overwork yourself again, otherwise you might pull a muscle or tear a ligament this time."

The worry didn't fully leave Ryuji's face immediately.  He always reacted like this whenever someone did something like that for him.  It was the same for when Akira stood up for him so many times throughout their friendship and their eventual relationship.  He was so used to being the eternal giver that he never really knew how to receive.  However, at Yusuke's reassurance, the smile returned to Ryuji's face.  He gently stroked Yusuke's head as he snuggled up to him.

"All right, if you say so, dude.  I'm game for this hot spring surprise." Ryuji gave him a peck on the nose.  "The rest can wait until we're there."

The two of them sat together in silence, Yusuke in Ryuji's arms.  It was ever so slightly weird for Yusuke since he was fully clothed and Ryuji was still naked, but his skin felt warm and surprisingly soft.  Eventually, their phones rumbled to break the silence.  Yusuke felt his in his pocket and checked what it was.  It was Haru.  Strangely enough, she posted in the old group chat from when they were all still in Tokyo together rather than just calling one of them directly and starting a conference call.  It was the first message in the group chat in a very long time.

_"Hey guys!  I'm back from my last business trip to South Korea.  I wanted to know if you were going to be around Tokyo this holiday season.  I want to have a reunion!"_

Yusuke almost stood up, but remembering that Ryuji was still holding him, he quickly calmed himself.  Ryuji looked over Yusuke's shoulder then to Yusuke himself with an even bigger grin on his face.  That expression could mean many different things, but Yusuke had hope that it wasn't something mischievous.

"Looks like we've got options already." Ryuji said.  Moments later, Makoto replied to Haru's question.

_"Ann will be back in Cambridge from an Armani winter fashion show in a few days, probably by this Thursday.  We'll be able to come during the week of Christmas if that'll work for you."_

Yusuke glanced at Ryuji.  He still seemed to be fairly content, but he knew all too well about what had happened between him and Ann while they were in high school.  Ryuji had been crushing on her since middle school and was devastated to find out that she didn't feel the same way.  It was through that uncomfortable exchange that he learned that she was dating Makoto.  For a while, Ryuji was awkward around both of them, but after Akira coddled him enough, he was back to his old self again, playfully bickering with Ann every other day.  Their relationship was truly special since they really did grow from each other.  Ann taught Makoto how to be strong and look out for herself, and Makoto taught Ann how to pull back and know when to best spend her energy.  Their love came straight out of a textbook as a shining example of two life-long partners, and Ryuji couldn't fault either of them for being so perfect for each other.  It was almost sickeningly sweet to see them be so in love with each other, but at the same time, it made the other Thieves more than happy to support their continued growth together.  Yusuke's phone vibrated once more.  This time, Futaba replied.

_"I have to batch record some Overwatch online matchmaking videos and the rest of Clear's route (the good end) for Dramatical Murder this weekend.  I'll be available once this weekend's out, since I've announced that I'm going on break via Twitter.  I'm sure my old man won't mind some extra guests this season."_

"Why don't we tell them what we're up to?" Ryuji suggested.  Yusuke nodded in response, getting to work on a reply.

_"Ryuji and I will be at a hot spring inn for the week before Christmas, and we'll probably be able to come over once we're done checking out of the inn.  If any of you have a place for us to stay, we'd greatly appreciate it."_

Yusuke hit send, and the message was delivered to everyone in the group.  The flashing ellipses icon at the bottom showed many different people typing at once.  Then, the typing stopped when Akira sent a reply.

_"I'll be there too.  My parents are going to be gone for a while for business.  I also have some loose ends to tie up."_

It was Ryuji's turn to almost stand up but stop before injuring Yusuke.  Both of them had been wondering if Akira would ever return, and now was the perfect opportunity to reunite.  But what did he mean by "loose ends"?  Was Kaneshiro still after him, even after being convicted and thrown into prison?  Did Sae contact him again for more info about dealing with Shido?  Did it potentially have to do with Akechi, if he even survived the destruction of Shido's palace?  Running through every potential scenario in his head, Yusuke finally got up from the couch, walking the floor and almost slipping where Ryuji had dripped all over the floor.

"Wipe this up before we go.  If this is what I think it might be, I want us to be there to make sure Akira won't get hurt.  He's done his part for us, so now it's time we step up to the plate for him." Yusuke's tone turned serious.  Ryuji gave him a concerned look in response.  Part of him was worried that Yusuke was taking Akira too seriously again.  Ryuji was more used to the bespectacled boy's cryptic and mysterious methods of self-expression, so he had a feeling that Akira had something up his sleeve, but wasn't going to reveal his cards until they were too far in to go back.

"Dude…  It's not like he's facing the Holy Grail again by himself.  He's always been this way.  Just trust him, and he'll be all right in the end.  You saw how Akechi betrayed him at Sae's palace, and he still escaped prison fine." Ryuji tried to offer some reassurance.  He then got up and returned to the bathroom, coming back with a dry towel to sop up the wet mess left on the floor.

"I suppose you're not wrong.  Akira is good at following through when people believe in him.  But still, I can't help but think there's something about this that feels unsettling." Yusuke walked into the kitchen area.  "Let's get you packed up.  We leave at 1 and arrive around 4.  We'll check in as soon as we arrive at the inn and eat dinner there.  I haven't had a chance to eat, so would you mind if I looked for something?"

"Go ahead."

Yusuke started rummaging through Ryuji's fridge, looking for something simple to make before turning back to his boyfriend.

"Oh, and put some damn clothes on!  You'll catch a cold if you stay like that." Yusuke said.  Ryuji laughed in response.

"If the heater's on, I'm gonna be fine, man.  I'll get changed before we leave.  I swear, you and my mom sound exactly alike." Ryuji put the soggy towel in the laundry bin with his other white clothes before going to the dinner table.  "See anything you like in there?"

Yusuke paused.

"Well…  Not exactly.  I think it would be easier for me to find something while we're out, so get your clothes on and your stuff packed.   _Don't_  forget your phone." Yusuke closed the refrigerator.  Ryuji nodded in understanding, going to his room to find some clothes.  He returned to Yusuke in a red Sekai no Owari t-shirt with black skinny jeans and a deep blue hoodie.  He brought a blue duffel bag with Kyoto University's name and insignia on it along with him.  His phone was in hand, reading through the new messages that came in while they were getting ready.  The last one was from Haru.

_"Wonderful!  I'll arrange to be in town for Christmas, and we'll all go out and have fun!  Should we do a secret santa?"_

The next reply was almost immediate.  It was from Futaba.

_"No.  Remember what happened last time?  Ryuji accidentally revealed who he had."_

Offended at Futaba's comment, Ryuji replied in the group thread immediately.

_"At least I remembered to mind the spending limit!  You went and bought Haru a new laptop!"_

_"A new laptop off of Craigslist.  Not from Amazon, you doofus.  You know I was well within the limit from that deal, and the product itself was in great condition."_

_"Well, everyone makes mistakes sometimes.  Give the guy a break!"_

Ryuji was filled with happiness at Ann's swift reply.  He was a little shocked that she was only texting them now rather than before when Makoto spoke on her behalf.  Akira was the next to put in his two cents.

_"I agree.  Ryuji's been working on that for a while, and I'd say from the perspective of his lover that he's come a long way."_

Ryuji's face went red.  This freedom thing was driving Akira to levels of boldness that people usually expected out of Ryuji himself.  Nevertheless, the support was greatly appreciated.

_"Thanks, babe~♡"_

_"Ugh, get a room you two."_   Appended at the end of Futaba's response was an emoji with a disgusted expression.

 _"I would if he hadn't fucking moved back!"_ Ryuji added a sad emoji at the end of his sentence.

_"Stop it already."_

Akira's reply promptly ended that argument, resulting in awkward silence.  Haru sent a message to break it.

_"So, are we doing this or not?"_

It took a while for anyone to reply.  Then, Makoto sent a reply.

_"I want a do-over.  I don't think that blaming Ryuji for everything that goes wrong is fair or logical.  I think a reorganization of the rules and a system for enforcing those rules would help more, since we made up our own loopholes as we proceeded last year."_

_"I want to do it again too!  Last year, my gift went bad in a week!"_ An angry emoji appeared at the end of Ann's response.

 _"Please forgive the lapse in my judgement.  I bought that contour palette from an unauthorized seller at a heavily discounted rate.  I should have known better."_   Yusuke remembered how angry Ann had gotten when the expired make-up he bought her gave her skin a rash.  Even a year later, he was apologizing profusely as if she had gotten angry at him recently.  He bought her a jar of La Mer face cream as a last-ditch plea for forgiveness on New Year's Eve, and the legendary Miracle Broth ended up saving him from further torment.

_"…Fine.  Only if he promises to keep his mouth shut about who he gets."_

_"Great!  Let's raise the spending limit to 7000 yen this year.  This time, let's challenge ourselves to pick more than one item if possible.  You're still allowed to buy a single item, but I'd much rather that we try for multiple cheaper items.  In addition, you're now required to buy from authorized merchants.  No craigslist or bootleg sellers!  I want all of us to see how far we can stretch our money!  Futaba, please have Sojiro set up the RNG and tell us who we've got.  Good luck!"_

Yusuke put his phone away, thoroughly amused.  He was hopeful that things wouldn't go off the rails like they did last year.  Considering how much time Ryuji had had to grow up, he was likely not going to make the same mistake again, especially considering how angry it made Futaba.  Yusuke's focus then returned to getting Ryuji ready for departure, and he gave his boyfriend the once-over.

"You sure you brought everything?  Do you have underwear and toiletries?"

"Didn't forget this time.  I brought some of your favorites~" Ryuji winked.  "What about you?"

"You might be…  surprised about what I have." Yusuke blushed.

"Looking forward to it, babe~" Ryuji gave Yusuke a quick peck on the lips.  "Now are we going or not?"

"R-right…  Let's go to the train station." Yusuke put his phone in his pocket and opened the door, letting Ryuji out first.  After a few subway stops and some walking, they made it to the Shinkansen platform at Kyoto station with some freshly prepared bento boxes in tow at Ryuji's suggestion.  Once their train arrived, they boarded and got to work on their lunches.  Yusuke bought a bento with varying types of sushi and sashimi with rice and wasabi, and Ryuji had one with tonkatsu over rice with some dipping sauce.  As the ride went on, Yusuke quickly fell asleep, leaning on Ryuji's shoulder.  As Ryuji gently stroked Yusuke's silky, fragrant hair, his mind was full of excitement and hope for what was going to become of this holiday season.  Just when things couldn't possibly get more exciting, his phone buzzed.  It was Sojiro, saying that his target for the secret santa event was Yusuke.  It took all of his self-control to quell the inevitable spike in his energy.  Yusuke was fairly easy to buy for considering his profession, but many of the materials he preferred were well over the 7000 yen limit.  Deciding to think of a present he could buy later, Ryuji returned his focus to his sleeping beauty of a lover.  He could only wonder whose name Sojiro sent him.


	2. Bonds Not Yet Witnessed

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This section has spoilers for one of the early parts of the game. Again, get caught up if you're not already unless you don't care for spoilers. This is a generic warning.

As the train pulled into the stop at Tokyo station, Ryuji stirred.  It seemed that he had fallen asleep a few minutes after Yusuke.  It wasn't even nighttime yet, and he still felt like he had gone through a full day.  Maybe it was because Yusuke rushed him through the packing process, but Yusuke was always a little pushy when it came to organization.  In times like that, Ryuji felt more comfortable just letting Yusuke handle things.  The more things went his way, the more agreeable he'd be and the less he'd argue about changing small details.  Among all of the details of this trip, it still didn't sit well with Ryuji that Yusuke was paying for it himself.  After all, he knew how much Yusuke detested the commercial side of art.  Having Madarame plagiarize his work to publically fund Shido's campaign had left a deep mental scar on him.  Having his skills taken advantage of for other people's gains was the last thing he wanted for his craft.  Getting him to take commissions at all was a feat in itself.  Before then, he fully trusted that his scholarship would carry him, even though he didn't get a full ride.  But after two late payments of his rent and threats of eviction looming on the horizon, he relented and began doing paintings and digital work to make money.  Ryuji was there for most of the set-up process, helping him put together pages outlining what he did and how much he charged.  Once he saw the money rolling in and his economic troubles leaving, his stance on doing art for money softened considerably.  If Ryuji had had his way, Yusuke would've kept the money to spend on more important things like rent and his own personal expenses.  They would share the cost like they would in any other date.  But since the tickets had already been booked before he could negotiate splitting the costs, Ryuji had no choice but to just roll with it.  Hopefully, the inn wasn't too high-end for them.  Then again, Ryuji knew that Yusuke was the economist of their trio.  He always knew how to be frugal with necessary expenditures, so if he was going to pay for an entire week at an inn himself, he would've researched the most cost-effective one for their purposes in going.  By contrast, if it had been Akira, he would've not only paid for all three of them, but also picked the most extravagant inn with the most lavish amenities.  Though Ryuji was regularly concerned with Akira's expenditures, it didn't seem to affect his bespectacled lover much.  Maybe he had gotten a really good job already or was still going through the massive cut of Sae's profits from prosecuting Shido's case that she insisted on giving to Akira for no clear reason.  Remembering that Yusuke was directing this production, Ryuji did manage to put his mind at ease.  Be that as it may, part of Ryuji's conscience still felt that this was a little out-of-character for him.  As people started leaving the train, Ryuji gently nudged Yusuke.

"Hey, man.  Wake up.  We're here." Ryuji spoke softly.  Yusuke rolled over, turning away.  Ryuji tried to stifle a chuckle, but it came out anyway.

"Yo, our room isn't gonna check itself in.  Wake up!" Ryuji tried again.  Yusuke swatted at him this time.  A little more annoyed, Ryuji raised his voice a little.

"Hey, this isn't funny!  Are you pretending to be asleep?!" Ryuji shook Yusuke a little harder this time and Yusuke laughed, confirming Ryuji's suspicions.  "Aw, dude!  You were faking!  What the fuck, man?!"

"S-sorry." Yusuke stammered a little.  "I had been awake since your second attempt, but I wanted to see what you'd do if I hadn't woken up.  Apparently, you would've made a scene, so I guess I won't be falling asleep in public anytime soon."

"C'mon, man!  I'm not mad.  You were just so intent on rushing me when I was packing up that I thought you wanted to get to the inn as quickly as you could." Ryuji frowned.  "Talk about mixed messages, huh."

"I said I was sorry, Ryuji.  I was trying to play around with you, but I guess I still have much to learn about the execution of humor." Yusuke gently turned Ryuji's head to face him directly and pecked him on the lips.  "You know I'd never disrespect your sensitivities intentionally."

"Fine.  I forgive you." Ryuji pouted ever so slightly, letting Yusuke kiss him.  "Anyway, you should lead the way since you booked the room yourself."

"I'm way ahead of you." Yusuke had already pulled the inn's address up on his phone's GPS app.  They would have to get on the local trains and go a few stops on the Keiyou Line to get to where they needed to be.  Thankfully, it was fairly close to Tokyo station in comparison to the other places Yusuke had in mind, some of which were in the neighboring Chiba and Kawasaki prefectures.  After all, they would have to find their own living arrangements after their hot spring date was over.  While Yusuke's wallet wasn't opposed to capsule hotels, his body needed extra space, so those weren't viable.  However, the specifics of where they were going to go could be determined later.  After the navigation was set up, Ryuji let Yusuke go in front of him, following him close behind.  It took a little effort, but they finally found the right line and got on the train going in the correct direction.  A few minutes later, they were at Hatchobori station.  Following the remainder of the navigation instructions, Yusuke found the hotel and got them checked in.  After following one of the employees up to their room, they went in.  Ryuji's mouth opened in awe.  The inn seemed to be on the more modern side, the most notable aspects of this modernity being the presence of a bed rather than two futons.  Not only that, but the room itself was designed more in the style of a western hotel over a traditional inn, taking on a futuristic, yet minimalist approach to its interior design.  Nevertheless, it was quite beautiful and looked awfully expensive to Ryuji.

"Dude," Ryuji began, struggling to find the words to express his disbelief.  "I hope you didn't have to pay more than a week of commissions for that."

"Of course not.  This was the cheapest option of all the optimal inns I researched." Yusuke stated.  "If there were a cheaper option that didn't require me to sacrifice quality, I would've found it and booked our week there."

"What should we do first?  Wanna have dinner?" Ryuji put his bag down, tossing it to the foot of the bed.

"Why not?  I'm fairly hungry myself." Yusuke gently set his bag at the foot of the bed.  "Shall we eat, then bathe?"

"Sure!  I'm pretty sore from all that track practice we had before the meet with Tokyo University." Ryuji stretched his body out, looking around for where the yukatas and towels were kept.  Before either of them could find it, the attendant serving them gently motioned to the drawer to Yusuke's left.  He opened it and found the yukata and towel sets.  After a short thank you, Yusuke handed one yukata to Ryuji, who immediately stripped to his underwear and wrapped the robe around him.  He fumbled a little with the obi, but he got it on somewhat neatly.  Yusuke changed in the bathroom, much to Ryuji's disappointment.  But once Yusuke came out, Ryuji's face heated up a little.  The yukata looked a little large on his boyfriend's slender frame, but he still looked quite dashing, like he stepped out of a historical drama.  He had the piercing gaze of a samurai staring down his enemy, ready for battle.  All he needed was a decorative sword at his hip, and he'd really look like a warrior.

"See something you like?" Yusuke asked.

"I-it suits you!  Really well!" Ryuji sputtered out his words, making a complete ass of himself in front of the woman attending to them.  She and Ryuji looked at each other for a moment before her face flushed a little, realizing that they were indeed boyfriends.  She bowed and mumbled something that Ryuji couldn't hear before exiting the room to allow them some alone time.

"Well, I'm flattered.  You're quite the specimen yourself, Ryuji~" Yusuke got closer, nibbling a little on Ryuji's neck before pulling away to see his reaction.  Ryuji's face was now the shade of a tomato.  Yusuke laughed.

"Why don't we go eat now?  You wouldn't want to get lightheaded in the bath, would you?" Yusuke took Ryuji's hand, and they walked together to the restaurant.  After a bountiful, traditional-style meal, they returned to their room to retrieve their towels.  Then, they followed the signs to the men's changing room.  Once there, Ryuji was the first to disrobe, clumsily trying to fold the yukata before shedding his underwear and shoving everything into a storage box.  Yusuke was next.  Ryuji's mouth went dry as Yusuke shed his clothing.  He had always been thin, but Ryuji was never entirely sure whether this was because of nature or because of his eating habits.  As Yusuke was folding his yukata and putting all of his clothes in a box, some of the older men seemed to be watching him.  Ryuji glared in their direction, making sure they knew that that that slender beauty wasn't free for the taking.  Yusuke's cheeks reddened a little, secretly glad about how overprotective Ryuji could be sometimes.  Hand in hand, they entered the bathing area and went to the washing area to clean up.  

Yusuke came prepared with vials of his own preferred hair products in hand, and Ryuji just used what the inn had in stock.  Once they got to their bodies, Yusuke sat down in front of Ryuji as he helped him get his back.  Ryuji's hands were nimble, yet rough all at the same time.  They weren't perfectly manicured and immaculately maintained like Akira's were, but they had a certain softness to their touch.  Eventually, Ryuji's fingers pressed in a little harder, turning from a back-washing session into a back massage.  According to Makoto and Ann, Ryuji's hands were "magical" when it came to giving massages.  Yusuke was lucky to be his lover since he got a lot of massages after spending entire afternoons hunched over a painting to do minute detail work, much to the blonde boy's chagrin.  As Ryuji worked out each knot in his back, Yusuke let out a breathy, contented moan, sometimes getting louder if the knot was tougher to undo.  Once he sensed that Yusuke had relaxed into the massage, Ryuji's hand started moving to the front of Yusuke's torso, as if to fondle his nonexistent breasts.  Yusuke playfully swatted him away before rinsing himself off and switching positions.  Where Ryuji's hands were rougher and wider, Yusuke's hands were delicate, almost like a woman's or Akira's.  Between the three of them, Yusuke's hands were certainly the smallest.  He wasn't as avid about skincare as Akira, but it was obvious that he took care of his hands so he could continue to paint.  The way his hands moved over the expanses of Ryuji's back felt like he was fingerpainting the soap onto him.  For all Ryuji knew, Yusuke was recreating old ukiyoe pictures on his back.  After they finished washing each other, they went into the bath, folding their towels and resting them on their heads as they sank into the piping hot water.  Ryuji let out a long sigh, feeling his body almost deflate like a balloon.

"Dude, you really weren't fucking around when you were planning this, huh?" Ryuji gently rubbed Yusuke's shoulder.

"You deserve nothing but the best." Yusuke said.  "Well, the best my money can get you anyway."

Ryuji laughed.

"Wouldn't it be nice if we could do this all the time?" Ryuji sat up a little.

"I suppose.  But wouldn't you get bored with nothing to do?" Yusuke raised an eyebrow.

"Then let Akira plan every trip from now on." Ryuji chuckled.

"Imagine if Akira had planned this trip.  We would've been at a place with a luxurious spa along with a natural hot spring bath.  On top of that, he would've paid for the whole ordeal." Yusuke looked out the window thoughtfully.

"Oh, Akira.  Always livin' the high life." Ryuji chuckled.  "I'm just glad he lets other people into his world, y'know what I mean?  Like, he doesn't let fancy livin' get to his head."

"That's our leader, after all." Yusuke said.  "Who'd have thought that he'd get all seven of us to Hokkaido for the Snow Festival?"

"You can't forget when he took the three of us to Kumamoto and booked us at 5 different inns either.  That was a fucking blast." Ryuji thought fondly on all the different excursions Akira took not only his two lovers, but also the rest of the Phantom Thieves on.  He was truly a kind, giving individual, but Ryuji and Yusuke both agreed that he sometimes had too much time on his hands.

"Are you excited to see him again?" Yusuke asked, working out a kink in his neck.

"Yeah.  I've wanted to see him for ages.  I thought he would've broken up with us by now." Ryuji wrapped an arm behind Yusuke's waist and eased him in closer.

"He's not that kind of person, Ryuji.  I thought you would know, since you've been with him since the beginning." Yusuke remarked dryly.

"I guess I should've known, huh." Ryuji sighed.  "But the one thing that Akira being gone has let us do is get to know each other better."

"Really?  Do explain." Yusuke got closer to Ryuji, a mysterious expression on his face.

"Do I really have to spell it out for you?" Ryuji asked, his hands moving to Yusuke's hips.  Soon enough, Yusuke was sitting in Ryuji's lap.  Any onlooker would think they were about to engage in all sorts of PDA.  Thankfully, it seemed like those older men were leaving for their rooms, since nobody else had come into the bathing area up until now.  Yusuke tensed up when he felt something fleshy, but slightly rigid against his lower back.  Ryuji was already half-mast.

"Ryuji, don't do this here...!  We're going to get in trouble if we dirty the water!" Yusuke hissed, trying to lower his voice in case someone was listening in.

"We've already gotten so close~  Wanna close the gap entirely?" Ryuji whispered.  Yusuke didn't expect Ryuji to be this quiet or this smooth.  The image seemed to be getting to him more than he expected.

"F-fine, but take me back to the room.  Please." Yusuke relented.

"Can't wait for that.  We're goin' to the sauna." Ryuji picked Yusuke up bridal style and followed the signs to the steam room.  He checked around to see if anyone was there and went in after confirming that they were alone.  He set Yusuke down on the wooden bench and climbed up on top of his boyfriend, giving him a deep, passionate kiss.  Yusuke whimpered and moaned into Ryuji's mouth, creating tantalizing vibrations between them.  When they separated for air, Ryuji started leaving bites down Yusuke's neck, making him cry out a little every time he left a mark.  Eventually, Ryuji returned his gaze to his lover's beautiful blushing face.

"Yusuke...  Fuck...  I've wanted to do this for a goddamn long time." Ryuji panted, the steamy room making him draw deeper breaths and drip a combination of sweat and condensed water vapor onto Yusuke.  Under normal circumstances, Yusuke wouldn't have allowed any lover of his to sweat on him, but right now, he was too horny to care.  He had wanted to make Ryuji his for a long time, and now that Akira connected them, his dream was about to come true.  From the piercing, lustful look in Ryuji's eyes, it seemed like he had caught on too.

"Ryuji...  Please.  I want you.  I've wanted you ever since I first laid eyes on you.  I know it's selfish, but please...  Grant me this one wish, and I won't ask for anything more.  Please..." Yusuke's face took on a pained expression, as if he were about to burst into tears.  Ryuji pulled away, worried that Yusuke didn't actually want it, but when Yusuke pulled him closer, that was all the confirmation he needed to know that these were his true feelings.

"I've wanted you too, Yusuke.  Ever since I first saw you, I was livin' in a dream.  But I never thought that Akira would give me his blessing.  Now that the three of us are together like this, let's live it up while we can~" Ryuji went in for another shorter kiss.  When they parted, Yusuke could see that Ryuji was fully hard.  Yusuke was too, but he said nothing about it.  Unfortunately, Ryuji caught it immediately.

"Excited, aren'tcha?" He smirked.  "Why don't you help me out a little?  Help me, say, relieve a little tension?  I massaged your back earlier, so consider this as paying me back for it."

Yusuke said nothing, eagerly dropping to his knees and turning his attention to Ryuji's massive length.  He was certainly the thickest of the three of them, but not the longest.  Akira was longest and only by a half-inch or so.  Yusuke's lips wrapped around the head of Ryuji's dick, slowly moving down until he needed to stop and get used to the feeling.  Ryuji didn't force him down, as much as his hormones were telling him how good of an idea that would be.  He didn't want to break Yusuke and bend him over himself like a pretzel.  He just wanted to take their connection beyond what it already was, and he didn't need to be rough for that.  When Yusuke was comfortable moving again, he went the rest of the way down, the tip of his nose resting at the base of his shaft.  The smell of musk was overwhelming, but at the same time, exhilarating.  He started moving more constantly, establishing a rhythm.  Occasionally, he stopped to breathe before starting right back up.  Ryuji clenched his jaw a little, the pleasure building quickly and coursing intensely through his veins.  His hand naturally went to Yusuke's head, as if to guide him up an down his cock.  However, since Yusuke was already moving at a reasonable pace on his own, Ryuji wasn't really doing much with that hand.

"F-fuck...  Yusuke...  Shit, you're good at this..." Ryuji whispered huskily.  Yusuke's moans vibrated around his cock, sending a pleasurable sensation throughout his body.  Before Ryuji could finish, he stopped Yusuke.  Before he could ask why he was being stopped, Ryuji pulled Yusuke up onto the bench he was sitting on and set him down on his back, kneeling down so his face was level with Yusuke's entrance.  He slowly dragged his tongue over the hole, relishing in the needy sounds that Yusuke made.  As Ryuji continued to eat him out, Yusuke's hands instinctively went to his head, tangling in his wet blonde locks.  After Ryuji pulled away, both of them took a minute to catch their breaths.  Doing it in the sauna was more tiring than they had anticipated.  Then, Ryuji licked his fingers and slid one into Yusuke's entrance.  Yusuke winced at the sudden intrusion, but gradually, he got used to the finger being inside him.  With a shaky nod, he let Ryuji know that he was ready for another finger.    Ryuji pushed the second finger in, using a scissoring motion to stretch Yusuke out before putting in a third.  Yusuke was handling the stretching surprisingly well for it being his first time, since the addition of a third finger didn't hurt as much as the addition of the second.  After about a minute more dedicated to stretching Yusuke out, Ryuji backed away to admire his creation.  Yusuke's hole already was beginning to get sloppy from the rimjob and foreplay.  He was excited for what was next.

"Put your hands against the wall." Ryuji commanded.  Yusuke slowly got up from his kneeling position, leaning against the wall and naturally arching his back from that position.  Ryuji wished he had his phone so he could take a picture of Yusuke like this.  This was the Yusuke that only he (and soon Akira) would ever get to see.  Ryuji got up, carefully positioning himself behind Yusuke.  His dick rubbed against Yusuke's entrance, nestled in between his ass cheeks.

"You sure you wanna go through with it?   I can't stop myself once I start." Ryuji got close to Yusuke's ear, asked his question, and nibbled on the ear he was speaking to, eliciting a small yelp out of Yusuke.

"Y-yeah...  Please, Ryuji... Take me already..." Yusuke was reduced to a begging mess at this point.  The steam seemed to cloud not only his vision, but also his mind and his senses.  Ryuji adjusted his hips so that the head of his cock was at Yusuke's waiting entrance, then gently pushed inward, stopping once the head was in.  Yusuke let out a gasp, biting down on his towel as Ryuji entered him.  Ryuji's hands snaked up the sides of his slender frame, playing with his nipples to see if that would distract him from the unfamiliar sensation of penetration, and Yusuke reacted with a restrained moan.

"Don't hold it back.  We're all alone in here, babe~" Ryuji tried to reassure Yusuke, but it didn't seem to reach him.  He looked down at where they were connected and saw Yusuke's legs shaking, as if they would buckle at any moment.  Concerned, Ryuji pulled out and sat down, guiding Yusuke to his lap.  He figured this new position would help make Yusuke feel more secure.

"You wanna face me or face forward?" he asked, a look of concern still on his face.

"I want to see you, Ryuji.  I want you to break through the ice that once bound me and set me free from the chains of my past.  Please..." Yusuke pleaded, his eyes filling with tears from emotional overflow.  Before he did anything else, Ryuji took Yusuke into his arms, worried he might have done something wrong.

"You okay?" he gently rubbed Yusuke's back as he let his emotions out.

"Y-yes...  I...  I'm so happy." Yusuke sobbed.  "I-I've never wanted anything more than to be loved.  Under Madarame, I thought I w-was unworthy.  But you...  Y-you and Akira...  You complete me.  You love and appreciate me for myself.  T-thank you..."

Ryuji continued to hold Yusuke as he continued to let his emotions flow.  Being under Madarame's thumb couldn't have been good for his mental development, and Ryuji finally understood the true nature of that time.  Though he and Yusuke discussed it occasionally when reminiscing about the past, he never really went into detail about how he felt under Madarame other than a lingering feeling of something being "not right".  Taking Madarame's plagiarism into consideration, it finally made sense.  Because Madarame kept taking from Yusuke and claiming what he took was his own, Yusuke never felt like his teacher actually cared about his development as either an artist or a person.  To Madarame, art was a business, and he had to keep churning out new paintings to support Shido's rise to the top.  Yusuke loved art for art's sake, not for money or recognition.  That also connected to his aversion to commission culture on the internet and even in person as well.  Because art had become so commodified, it lost its intrinsic beauty derived from art existing as such.  It seemed that Yusuke hadn't completely recovered from the damage Madarame did to him in the past.  Even in the relationship with Ryuji and Akira, he still held the secrets of his past within.  In the release of his true feelings, Yusuke felt that a massive burden had been lifted from his person.  The dark clouds of his past were finally breaking up and letting the light in now that he was able to face what had happened head-on with the support of his two boyfriends.  Slowly, but surely, Yusuke's sobs began to calm.  He finally looked into Ryuji's eyes with a new-found passion burning inside him.

"Ryuji...  I want you to show me the true nature of love.  And I want you to do it by leaving a permanent mark on my soul.  Please, don't hold back.  I'll be fine." Yusuke punctuated the moment by grinding his butt against Ryuji's half-flaccid cock, gradually restoring it to full hardness.  A sultry expression crossed Ryuji's features.

"I thought you'd never fucking ask~" Ryuji said, a devilish grin on his face.  "Get on your back."

Yusuke obeyed, rolling over and spreading his legs.  Ryuji positioned himself in between Yusuke's legs, burying his cock all the way to the hilt in one thrust.  Yusuke cried out, partially from shock, but partially from euphoria as well.  Ryuji rested Yusuke's legs on his shoulders, instinctively stopping to let him adjust before Yusuke spoke up again.

"I told you not to hold back."

That was the only command Ryuji needed to release the last holds of his self-control.  He set a ruthless pace, pounding into Yusuke with tremendous force.  Yusuke held onto the edge of the bench above him as best as he could, even though his wet fingers made it hard to hold on well.  He looked up into Ryuji's face to see that he was concentrating hard.  A look of pure determination and passion was in his eyes.  It was quite similar to the way he looked when he was running.  When Yusuke shifted himself back a little after the slippery film of sweat and condensation on the bench kept him going forward, Ryuji's next thrust was angled differently, hitting Yusuke's prostate directly.  Yusuke let out a louder cry, feeling as if his insides were exploding with pleasure.

"A-again!  That spot!" he managed to shout.  But Ryuji had something else in mind.  Knowing that the bench Yusuke was laying on was slippery, he turned the slender boy over so that he was on his stomach, temporarily pulling out to move him more efficiently.  Now that his legs were anchored on the floor, Ryuji thrust back in, earning another moan from Yusuke.  He picked up speed again, relishing in the tightness of Yusuke's insides.

"R-Ryuji!  Aah!  I'm so close!" Yusuke cried out.  "H-harder!"

Ryuji responded with a grunt as he went even faster.  Yusuke braced himself against the bench, awed at the pure power that went into Ryuji's thrusts.  A few more accidental scrapes of the prostate later, and he was nearly ready to burst.

"Y-yusuke...  Fuck!  Gonna cum...!" Ryuji growled before pushing in one final time.  Yusuke screamed to the heavens, completely forgetting that they were doing it in a public sauna.  He sprayed ribbons of cum all over the bench below him.  When he felt Yusuke tighten around him considerably, Ryuji released all of his hot, thick seed into his lover's ass.  After a little bit, Ryuji pulled out, stepping back to admire his work.  He could see his cum starting to drip out of Yusuke.  After catching his breath, he leaned over to gently kiss Yusuke on the lips, but he only got to his cheek.

"Yusuke?" Ryuji gently nudged the smaller boy.  No response.  Immediately going into panic mode, Ryuji checked for a pulse.  Thankfully, Yusuke's heart was still beating.  He had just passed out.  Chuckling to himself, Ryuji picked up his lover, wiped the cum off of the bench with his towel, and returned to the washing area near the bath.  He cleaned both of them off, sticking some fingers inside Yusuke to get the rest of the cum out of him before leaving the bathing area and going back to the changing rooms.  Ryuji dried them both off, wrapped Yusuke in their towels before dressing himself, and carried him off to their room.  When they got back, he tucked Yusuke into bed and used the cups provided for them in the bathroom to get some water for him to drink upon waking up.  After a few minutes, Yusuke stirred, slowly pulling himself upright.

"Ugh...  My head." he mumbled.  "What happened?"

"You passed out after I came in your ass~" Ryuji held no information back.  Yusuke smiled faintly.

"S-sorry for breaking down like that while we were doing it.  I let the gravity of the situation get to me." Yusuke sighed.   "I thought you were just going to stop, but...  I didn't want you to, and you didn't.  Thank you."

"It's okay, Yusuke." Ryuji sat down next to him, offering a glass of water.  Yusuke accepted, taking the glass from him and gulping it down.  "After what you've been through in life, you deserve to have a moment like that where you know someone loves you and will never use you for their own gains."

"Ryuji..." Yusuke choked up a little, but shook the emotion away.  "I guess you've learned a lot from being with Akira, huh?"

"That's right!  I learned from the best." Ryuji grinned proudly.  "What drew me to him was that he made me feel like I was wanted when the whole world was my enemy, and when I met you, I wanted you to feel wanted too."

Yusuke looked up lovingly into Ryuji's eyes.  Oh, how he had grown since they first met.  He felt so proud that this man was his lover that he couldn't help but smile at his words.

"I love you, Ryuji." Yusuke gave his lover a tender kiss on the lips.

"Love you too, Yusuke." Ryuji let his lover snuggle up to his chest.  In minutes, he drifted off to sleep, his chest rising and falling gently.  With a soft smile, Ryuji gently laid his head on the pillow, took off his yukata, folded it, and joined Yusuke in the bed, cuddling right up next to him as he fell asleep.  He was excited to see what the next week had in store for them, now that Yusuke had allowed himself to act on the desires he had had pent up inside him since the beginning.  He first wondered if any of the girls would pick up on it.  Then, he thought about Akira, who allowed Yusuke to be in the relationship in the first place.  How was he going to react to all of this?  Ryuji had his thoughts about it since Akira was the one who had seen through Yusuke's stoic eyes and offered him a way to act on his sexual desires in the first place.  Maybe this was what he had planned all along.  Too tired to think on it further, Ryuji was snoring away, his arms wrapped lovingly around Yusuke's waifish frame.  This vacation was looking to be... exciting.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's the RyuKita scene! I actually enjoyed writing it a lot. I did find myself shaking my head after I originally posted it to Tumblr after seeing how philosophical the narration got during the sex scene. Regardless, it was fun, since I like when usually quiet and serious boys like Yusuke are made to come undone during sex. Next is ShuKita, I think.


	3. Bridging the Gap

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's been quite a while, and I'm a little rusty. This might be shorter, since it started out as a side chapter, but I ended up trying to give it more meat. Also, a preemptive warning that there may be spoiler content for endgame events, but it's not really detailed spoiler content. Just trying to cover my bases.

Sunlight poured in from the window, causing Yusuke to stir and eventually wake up from his slumber.  He looked to his side and Ryuji wasn't there.  Instead, there was a note left on the night stand.  Despite the fact that he innately knew the letter's contents without having to read based on their conversations from the past few days, Yusuke read through anyway.  
  
_Morning, love._  
_I'm heading out to go home and see my mom.  She just had a really big break today, and we're going to celebrate.  We'll probably be out until late tonight, so I might not get back until you're sleeping.  Also, I wanted to tell her that Akira and I were dating you.  I was nervous about it since I didn't know what she would think about me having multiple boyfriends, but after she accepted Akira so easily, I think she'll like you too.  Speaking of Akira, we're going to have to talk to him about what we're going to do for lodging this Christmas since my house doesn't have enough room.  If you could talk to him for me today, that would be great!_  
_Love you,_  
_Ryuji_  
  
Yusuke smiled.  It felt so good to see his boyfriend spending time with his family, especially after what they went through.  At the beginning of the relationship, Ryuji was not shy in talking about his family issues with Yusuke.  It was difficult to hear about how his father had left them for dead when his mother started trying to stand up to his abuse for not only Ryuji, but also her own sake.  Although Yusuke had his own problems of getting abused by adults, namely Madarame, it paled in comparison to what Ryuji went through.  Yusuke wouldn't have wished that lifestyle on anyone, even someone he didn't necessarily like.  To see how coming out of that and Kamoshida's abuse made Ryuji a stronger man was undeniably what made Yusuke love him that much more.  Even with this moment of celebration, Yusuke knew that the war was not yet over.  With the Sakamoto divorce proceedings still in flux due to the drought of communication with the father, there was no telling how Mrs. Sakamoto's application for alimony from her former husband would go.  That was another battle for another day.  
  
A few days had passed since Ryuji and Yusuke had first made love in the sauna.  It was a thrilling start to what would turn out to be a somewhat unremarkable vacation.  Until the other Phantom Thieves were back in the country or not busy anymore, all they could do was meet with their friends and families.  Yusuke had already brought Ryuji to meet some of his old classmates from Kousei a few days ago since he didn't have much of a family to return to after his mother's death and Madarame's insidious schemes.  Despite the difficulties of having to get by on his own, Yusuke appreciated that he didn't have to answer to anyone about his relationship with Akira and Ryuji.  He knew that Akira had limited communication with his family because of what had happened that brought him to Tokyo in the first place, and Ryuji didn't want to burden his mother with an endless wave of shocking announcements.  It was for those reasons that their relationship had been a little difficult in the beginning.  Now that the worst was over, they felt more freedom to love each other and share their lives with their families as well.  
  
Returning the note to the night stand, Yusuke went to the baths to wash up and get ready for the day.  He had no idea what he was going to do since everyone he had already seen everybody he wanted to see from Kousei.  Then, the call with Akira that Ryuji asked of him came to mind.  Lodging was definitely going to be an issue since Yusuke set enough money aside to book the inn room for only the week before the Christmas party.  If nobody else had spaces they could use anymore, it was going to be hard on both of them to pull something together without having to go to a capsule hotel, which would probably not be very good for a trio.  Although there were love hotels as well with ample space, people only ever used them for a night, and it would have been strange to request more time than that. 

Unable to think of a solution and unable to pay for a more traditional hotel, Yusuke ultimately agreed that asking Akira was the best course of action.  After all, all that money for luxurious outings had to come from someplace, and after Sae was able to get reparation money out of Shido, he would likely be swimming in more money that he knew what to do with.  After enjoying a quiet meal following his bath, Yusuke went back to his room and took out his phone.  The number he dialed came naturally to him, even though it had been a while since he last called.  It took only one ring for the other line to pick up.  
  
"Hey." the reply on the other end was short and flat, much like Akira's usual facial expressions.  
  
"Akira..." Yusuke began.  "I can't believe it's been this long since I last spoke to you."  
  
"No kidding.  I was worried that you were going to leave us." Akira replied.  
  
"I would never." Yusuke was quick to reply to that.  "I wouldn't dream of it."  
  
"Good~  I wouldn't let you go that easily anyway~" Akira teased, breaking his usual character for a moment before returning to normal.  "So, what's going on?"  
  
"Do you have a plan for where we're going to stay during the Christmas season?  I don't know if anyone else has their houses in Japan anymore." Yusuke explained.  "Ryuji's house is obviously too small given that his mother rents out the guest room to local university students, and Ryuji's room doesn't have enough space for all of us.  I wouldn't want to put that burden on Mrs. Sakamoto."  
  
"Neither do I." Akira agreed.  "Well, I want you to know that I have that covered.  You just have to trust me."  
  
Yusuke paused.  Akira definitely was prone to statements like that as the leader of the Phantom Thieves, but he consistently pulled through, sometimes even exceeding expectations.  However, this wasn't childhood anymore.  They were all adults now, and pulling off stunts like that in the adult world had greater risk and greater reward.  He hoped that with whatever Akira was planning, he had a backup if things didn't go right.  
  
"I trust you." Yusuke replied.  "But just be careful, please."  
  
"I always am." Akira said.  "How's your hot spring date with Ryuji going?"  
  
"It's...  Amazing." Yusuke paused, emotion flooding back into him from their first night.  "I knew this was a good idea for us, but I didn't think it would go as well as it did."  
  
"Wait, what do you mean?" Akira seemed confused.  "I don't think I'm following what you're saying."  
  
Yusuke's heart suddenly dropped into his intestines.  Although he knew Akira was their boyfriend, it still felt weird to kiss and tell, even to another entity in the relationship.  Yusuke was added to the relationship later on down the line towards the confrontation with the Holy Grail, and it was only made openly known among their friends a few days after that final showdown.  Even with some years in a polyamorous relationship under his belt, there were still some things that Yusuke wasn't used to, namely the freedom to casually mention sexual escapades with one partner in the absence of the other.  If Akira were here right know, Yusuke would've been able to see the mischievous glint in his eye through his hands, and Akira would've been able to see Yusuke blushing redder than a pomegranate from a mile away.  
  
"We... uhh..." Yusuke fumbled with his knowledge of words and language to try and get a satisfactory reply out.  "We had some... uhh... quality time in the baths."  
  
"You what~?" Yusuke could hear that Akira's switch was flipped.  He had revealed too much, and it was too late to go back.  "Please, do go on."  
  
"Uh..." Yusuke took a minute to think of how to keep going.  "Actually, it was more in the sauna, but it started in the bath."  
  
"Tell me every single detail, my love~  I want to know _exactly_ what happened that night~" Akira's voice dripped like the sweetest honey in all the land, turning Yusuke's brain into a frazzled mess.  Unable to deny his boyfriend any longer, Yusuke began his story.  
  
"We were talking, and Ryuji's hands were on my hips.  He was talking about how you not being there was a good opportunity to get to know each other better, and before I could say anything, I was in his lap, and he was already half-hard." Yusuke took a breath.  He could still remember how it felt sitting in Ryuji's lap with his cock literally hardening and lengthening in between his ass cheeks.  Realizing where this phone call was headed, Yusuke walked over to the door and hung up the "Do Not Disturb" sign on the doorknob before closing and locking the door.  
  
"Hmm..." Akira hummed softly in approval.  "Tell me more."  
  
"Then, he took me to the sauna and started kissing me.  Really intensely." Yusuke was slowly peeling out of his yukata, starting with the outermost garment.  His body was already reduced to a hot, boneless pile just on Akira's voice and the memories of Ryuji fucking him alone.  He could only get the chest area a little more opened up before Akira spoke again.  
  
"That sounds like him.  Can't wait a goddamn minute." Akira chuckled.  "What was it like in there?"  
  
"Unbelievably hot.  Like, the whole room was in danger of melting if it got any hotter." Yusuke fumbled with the yukata a little more before finally getting one of his arms out of the sleeve.  "Anyway, Ryuji kept going on about how he'd been dreaming about this, and I...  Uh...  It really got to me, because I wanted it too.  I wanted him so badly."  
  
Akira paused on his end.  He could tell from Yusuke's tone that that moment was as emotional as it was sexy.  Carefully planning how to get the whole story out without pushing too much, Akira made his next move.  
  
"Spare me the details.  I want to cut right to the chase.  We can talk sappy things later when I'm not fully hard and I don't want to bend your supple body over and fuck you into oblivion." Akira knew he got the reaction he desired when Yusuke audibly shuddered on the other end.  It seemed like he was reeled back in.  "Anyway, what next?"  
  
"I sucked him off." Yusuke responded.  "He was... so big, and so _thick_.  I thought I was going to choke on him, but he made sure I was okay.  Then, he started eating me out."  
  
"Did he make a huge mess of your cute hole~?" Yusuke could almost hear Akira smirking as he spoke as another shiver ran down his body.  
  
"Y-yeah.  I felt his tongue going in sometimes." Yusuke pulled his other arm out of the yukata and untied the obi.  "Then, he started preparing me.  I took three of his fingers before he couldn't hold back anymore."  
  
"Three, huh?  And these are Ryuji's fingers we're talking about here.  Must've made you feel awfully full, no?" Akira paused for a minute to unzip his pants.  Yusuke could barely hear the sound of Akira's belt coming undone on the other hand, and the zipper was completely inaudible.  He could only imagine the kind of state Akira was in right now.  His dick was probably out right now and receiving much needed attention.  
  
"Yes, I f-felt so full.  His fingers were _huge_ ~" Yusuke started to find his own stride in playing Akira's dirty game, his yukata now fully opened.  The front of his briefs were stained slightly darker from his precum.  "But nothing could compare to his dick when he first put it in~"  
  
"Oh yeah, babe~  Tell me all about that~" Akira's breathing was now more audible on Yusuke's end, and from that, he could safely assume that he was touching himself more intensely.  Now, things were getting interesting.  
  
"It took a little to adjust to the head alone, but after that, I told him not to hold back." Yusuke was now stroking his own cock with one hand and using the lube they packed to slick up his entrance with his other hand.  His phone was smashed in between his ear and his shoulder until he managed to reach for his headset sitting on the night stand and plug it in with the hand he didn't pour lube on before returning to his length.  
  
"Keep going, darling~  Oh, fuck~" Akira seemed to be enjoying himself greatly from listening to Yusuke recount his first time with Ryuji.  
  
"He got to the hilt in one go.  I thought I was going to die, but it felt amazing.  We changed positions a few times since the surfaces in the sauna were slippery, but I eventually ended up leaning against the bench and the wall behind it.  Then, he hit this spot inside me that made me almost completely lose it.  It was like he shorted my brain out for a minute from pleasure.  H-here, let me show you." For a demonstration, Yusuke stuck some lubed up fingers inside his ass.  With enough searching, he found his prostate and pressed down, making himself moan loudly and wantonly for Akira.  He felt so dirty in doing this, and the fear of getting caught was definitely a thought in his mind, but at the same time, it was completely exhilirating and freeing to be able to show this part of himself to Akira.  
  
"Fuck, Yusuke~  You're so lewd, and I love it.  I didn't know you had this in you~" Akira was impressed, but more importantly completely entranced and enraptured by hearing his boyfriend making himself whine into the phone like a whore.  The next few minutes consisted of Yusuke fingering himself and making noise for Akira, who would respond with strings of expletives and praise for the erotic show his boyfriend was putting on over the phone.  Before long, both of them were nearing their limits, and the story was nearing its conclusion as well.  
  
"A-Akira!  I'm getting close!" Yusuke warned through his moans.  
  
"C-cum for me, baby~  Just like you did for Ryuji~" Akira's voice dropped lower as he worked himself closer and closer to the edge.  
  
"A-Akira!!"  
  
"Yusuke!"  
  
Yusuke came with a shout, covering his stomach and torso in milky white cum.  He removed his fingers from his hole, which was dripping with a little bit of lube, and went limp on the bed, his body covered in a bright sheen of sweat.  He heard Akira screaming his name on the other line, and he could only assume that Akira came as well.  After basking in afterglow for a few minutes, Akira spoke up again.  
  
"Did he cum inside you?" he whispered.  
  
"Yeah.  It was like having hot lube inside me." Yusuke panted.  "He... apparently cleaned me before taking me to bed."  
  
"How thoughtful." Akira had more or less returned to normal, though Yusuke could still tell he was soaking up the afterglow.  
  
"T-that was... fun." Yusuke smiled.  "I didn't intend to have this happen, but I'm glad it did."  
  
"I wish I could've been there to watch you two put on a show for me, but I guess we can do that next week when we're finally together again." Akira said.  "We should've gotten into this sooner.  It would've made the past few years less lonely."  
  
"No kidding." Yusuke said.  "Anyway, I'll leave lodging up to--"  
  
Before Yusuke could finish talking, Ryuji barged into the room.  He had bags of things that his mother gave him hanging off of both arms, and he looked a little mussed up.  Perhaps they had gone drinking together.  Even if Ryuji wasn't the type to drink heavily, he seemed to at least be open to drinking with someone else as a celebration.  The bags fell one by one out of Ryuji's hands as he took in the sight before him.  Yusuke was naked and covered in cum, laid out on top of the bed with his yukata tossed to the side.  A smirk crept onto his face.  
  
"Well, well, well.  Am I interrupting somethin'?  's there any room for me?" he asked.  Before Yusuke could reply, Akira spoke up on the phone.  
  
"Looks like Ryuji's home.  I wish I could stay and watch the show, but I need to make sure everything's in order for next week.  You two have fun, okay?"  
  
"S-sure." Yusuke stammered.  "Love you.  Bye."  
  
"Love you too.  See you next week." Akira hung up.  Yusuke said nothing and did nothing but watch Ryuji climb up on top of him.  
  
"He hung up." Yusuke deadpanned while cleaning himself up with some tissues.  Ryuji looked a little hurt.  
  
"Aw man," Ryuji pouted, looking at all the stuff that was on the floor of the entrance.  "Now I have to pick all that up."  
  
"I'll help you." Yusuke said.  "And if you want, we can go a round before bed if that'll make it up to you."  
  
"I'm good.  I wanted to put on a show for Akira, and he hung up, so there's no point." Ryuji went to the entrance and lined up all the bags on the left wall while Yusuke inspected the floor for any broken glass.  
  
"Wouldn't it be better if we got to do that for him in person?" Yusuke suggested.  "We're going to have a week with him, or more if he has anything to say about it."  
  
"Oh yeah, I forgot." Ryuji's smile returned to his face as he started taking his clothes off to get into bed with Yusuke.  "What did he say he was gonna do?"  
  
"He didn't answer me directly.  We'll have to find out." Yusuke replied, moving over so Ryuji could lay down next to him.  He felt Ryuji holding onto him and relaxed into the warmth of his embrace.  
  
"I can't wait." Ryuji whispered.  "But next time, tell me when you're havin' a phone sex session.  I wanna show him just how good I can make you feel~"  
  
"You'll get the chance later." Yusuke reminded him.  "But certainly.  If we're apart again, I'll make sure you're around when Akira calls."  
  
"Thanks, babe." Ryuji kissed Yusuke on the cheek.  "G'night.  Love you."  
  
"Love you too.  Good night." Yusuke let himself relax against Ryuji's broad shoulders and quickly fell into a deep sleep.  If there was a lot to look forward to before, there was even more stuff to be excited about now.  Of course because it was Akira, there would be more than just the main surprise for the Secret Santa.  From the end of the phone call, it was clear that he was doing a lot to make sure everything was going as he had planned.  All they had to do was wait and see how everything was going to play out this Christmas, making the wait all the more unbearable.  Both Yusuke and Ryuji knew that putting trust in their boyfriend was probably the best way to assure that he would deliver.  If it worked for him as leader of the Phantom Thieves, it would certainly work for something less precarious like a Secret Santa gift.  Ryuji gently ran a finger through his sleeping boyfriend's hair and soon fell asleep himself, both of them wondering what the future held throughout their slumber.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So that's ShuKita done! I guess that leaves PegoRyu next and the full threesome for last. I'll try not to take five million years next time.

**Author's Note:**

> I got the idea for this one after I finished watching the true end of P5 on a stream. I couldn't bring myself to pair Akira off with any one boy, so I made it an OT3 (which might become 4 if I decide to include Akechi going forward). I really enjoy writing Ryuji the most since he's so radically different from Akira and Yusuke. I usually allow all characters in my fanfics to cuss, so Ryuji was no different. It was actually quite liberating, since I felt the use of eff was kinda juvenile-sounding. I'll try to have a sex scene for every pair that can come out of this threesome before writing the actual threesome.
> 
> Thanks for all the kudos and comments! I love all of those kinds of things! Please consider supporting me by following my [writing blog](https://clover-bamboo-forest.tumblr.com) or [buying me a coffee](https://ko-fi.com/cloverhourai). I also have a [music blog](https://clover-houraisan.tumblr.com).


End file.
